May 06, 2010

Help Me Remember

Last night was the first truly difficult night that I have experienced with Joycelen. And by most standards it was not very bad. Until now, Joycelen has been going to bed at 9:00 p.m. and sleeping until 5:00 a.m., has a feeding and goes back to sleep until 7:30 a.m. However, last night she was awake until 11:00, up screaming at 2:00 -- fought sleep until well after 3:00, and then demanding her breakfast at 4:30. I wrongly assumed that the little stinker would sleep late this morning. Lol! Instead, she wanted to lay in bed with wide eyes and coo/smile at me. I loved and resented this all at the same time. Needless to say, I was dragging at the office this morning. (Did I mention that this was the one morning I needed to be in at 7:00 a.m.). Tired and slightly grumpy, my day was off to a bad start.... then a friend sent me this poem.

Lord, help me remember, when I feel It's a chore,the time will come when I'll hold her no moreasleep on my chest (the crib refused,the blanket, the pacifier, gone unused).What better place is there to lay her headthan against my heart, my arms her bed?For infants grow up and leave us behindwith only memories left to remindus of midnight walking and predawn rocking,of soft, helpless babies unable to sleep.So, Lord, make me patient and keep me awakewhile I cradle this child, and don't let me takefor granted the moments I spend in the nightwith this baby--Your gift, my joy, my delight.
by Jan Dunlap
It put my whole day (and night) in perspective. I thought it was worth sharing.

2 comments:

Jennifer said...

Okay, let me just say that I am sooo jealous of you. I feed Easton for the last time at 10pm and then he wakes up at 1am and again at 4:30am to eat. It is about to kill me when I have to leave the house at 7am to get everyone to their places for the day. What's your secret?

Kathie Brinkman said...

touching and true poem. Mothering well means being present and thankful IN THE MOMENT! It took me a while to learn this.

As for her night wakings she could be teething or developing an ear infection. One of the blessings of training your babies to sleep through the night (put themselves back to sleep) is that when they do have a rough night you pretty much know that something is wrong with them. Babies can get ear infections without ever having a cold. When Josh would get one (or had one coming on) he just wanted to lay with his ear down on my chest and Lord forbid if I had to peel him off me to potty!!LOL. Those were moments of just being content sitting in the rocker singing or reading him a book. Take out for dinner! You'll get the hang of it.